As Close As I'll Get
by moonlitmuse
Summary: Tony told himself it would never work between them. It was better if he kept his mouth shut, especially now that she'd found Mr. Amazing. But fate has other plans, and Kate hears something that Tony never meant for her to hear. What happens next? TATE!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **I heard this song, "That's As Close As I'll Get To Loving You" by Aaron Tippin, and it had TATE written all over it. As always, please review!

**Disclaimer: **the show and the characters belong to DPB. If they belonged to me season 3 would be completely full of TATEness and Ziva wouldn't exist.

**As Close As I'll Get**

Tony was in Hell. He'd paused outside the lab when he'd heard Kate gushing to Abby about her amazing new boyfriend. They were doing that girly giggling thing which was completely unusual for Kate. Something had to be up, so he stopped to eavesdropped and then wished he hadn't. He really didn't want to hear this.

"…and after dinner we went back to my place. We were snuggling on the couch and looking for something good to watch when I saw that Pretty Woman was on." Kate continued to gush.

"I love that movie!" Abby interrupted excitedly. "There's something vaguely ironic about a hooker having the perfect romance every girl dreams of." They both laughed and Tony made a mental note to watch Pretty Woman next time it was on. He wanted to know what was so damn great about that movie that practically every woman fell in love with it.

"Anyway, I told him that I loved that movie and he said to put it on. I told him we didn't have to because it's a total chick flick but he insisted. And then he actually watched it. He paid attention and everything. I have to say, that movie is even better when you're wrapped in someone's arms." Tony could hear the smile in Kate's voice and he felt a pang of longing. It should have been his arms around her, not anybody else's.

"Ooh…so what happened after the movie?" Tony could picture Abby wagging her eyebrows and he knew without a doubt that he didn't want to hear what was coming next, but he couldn't pull himself away. It was like knowing you were about to slam head first into a brick wall but there was nothing you could do to stop it. He just had to face his fate.

"I don't kiss and tell, like _some_ people." He knew she was referring to him and he kicked himself for making up all of those conquests to cover up his feelings. Not that he'd ever been a choir boy, but women hadn't held the same allure since he'd met Kate. But everyone expected the stories so he couldn't just stop without looking suspicious. Still, maybe he should have toned it down a little.

Abby made a disgusted sound. "C'mon Kate, give me something here."

"Let's just say he looks great first thing in the morning." Both girls squealed and Tony's heart dropped. He had to get out of here. He turned to leave but remembered the evidence bag he had in his hand, the reason he was in the situation in the first place. Frustrated, he tried to pretend he wasn't dying inside as he strode through the door and shocked both women into a guilty silence as they tried to hide their giggles.

"Hey Abs, Gibbs wants you to see if you can get some prints off of this, ASAP." He hadn't planned on ignoring Kate but he wasn't sure what to say, and he was afraid that he might give himself away if he tried to talk to her. He handed the bag to Abby and quickly left the room before one of them could realize something was wrong.

The day couldn't pass fast enough for Tony after what he'd heard in the lab. He spent the rest of the day sulking, enough that even Gibbs had asked him what was wrong. He told Gibbs the same thing he'd told Kate, "Nothing." Luckily, they didn't get a new case and he was out the door the minute the clock struck 5.

Not that home was much better, other than the fact that he didn't have to hide his feelings. He paced as he considered his options. He was royally screwed and he knew it. If he told Kate there was a pretty good chance she'd reject him, especially now that she'd found Mr. Amazing. That would ruin not only their friendship but their partnership as well, and he wouldn't be able to steal his little moments with her. Of course, there was a slim chance she'd say that she felt the same way. That would be the most amazing thing ever, even if it cost him his job.

His other choice was keeping silent, which would protect him from heartache and keep him from ruining their friendship or their careers. It definitely made more sense to keep quiet, even though it killed him inside. It meant that there would never be any chance at a happy ending, but he'd have to find a way to live with that. There was just too much to lose.

Far from content with his choice, he stalked off to his bedroom to try and get some sleep. At least that was one place where she would always be his. He stripped down to his boxers, turned out the light, and slipped into his lonely bed wishing that Kate could be beside him.

After an hour of tossing and turning he finally gave up. He knew the only way he'd get any sleep tonight was to drink away the memory of Kate's chat with Abby. There wasn't enough alcohol in the world to erase that memory so he settled for the next best thing, the college solution to all of life's problems. He'd drink until he passed out.

3 beers and 8 shots of tequila later, he sat at his favorite bar contemplating his problems while another horrible attempt at karaoke crooned in the background. The simple fact was, as he kept telling the bartender, that he was in love with Kate. He lived for the random moments when he got to accidentally brush against her and he loved watching her while she slept on the rare occasions when they had to work all night. Too bad those stolen moments were as close as he'd ever get. That reminded him of a song, and he was drunk enough that he stumbled off his bar stool and made a beeline for the mike.

Kate was enjoying another amazing night with David. After dinner they'd decided to grab a drink at the bar across the street. It was karaoke night so the entertainment was very interesting, to say the least. They were having fun laughing at drunks stumbling over the words and thoroughly butchering songs. David was in the middle of telling her about the dream house he was in the middle of remodeling when Kate froze and forgot that David even existed. A very familiar face had just taken the stage, and her heart skipped a beat as it always did when she saw him.

She completely tuned David out and focused all of her attention on Tony. Damn, he looked good even when he was totally wasted and probably about to make a fool of himself. Then he started singing and his voice blew her away. He was actually good, even if he was drunk, and she could feel the emotion behind his words.

_Maybe we'll never be seen together  
At night on a crowded street  
I may never reach across your body  
And kill the light when you're asleep  
_

She could see the truth of his words in his eyes and she leaned forward slightly so she wouldn't miss anything.

_  
Maybe I'll never watch you dressing  
I won't sound too familiar on the phone  
But I can touch your hand accidentally  
And take that moment home_

Then his words began to make sense, and all she could do was stare into his eyes totally transfixed. His gaze met hers as he saw her for the first time. She saw the shock register in his eyes, but he didn't miss a beat. He kept his eyes locked on hers as he continued to sing. The rest of the world melted away and he was singing just for her.__

_That's as close as I'll get to loving you  
Even though there's nothing else I'd rather do  
I can dream, I can hope, I can scheme but still I know  
That's as close as I'll get to loving you_

I won't be there when you need holding  
But I'm sure that he can pull you through  
But I can sing this song to everybody  
And pretend it's not about you

That's as close as I'll get to loving you  
Even though there's nothing else I'd rather do  
I can dream, I can hope, I can scheme but still I know  
That's as close as I'll get to loving you

That's as close as I'll get to loving you  
Even though there's nothing else I'd rather do  
I can dream, I can hope, I can scheme but still I know  
That's as close as I'll get to  
Yeah that's as close as I'll get to  
That's as close as I'll get to loving you

The song ended but Tony couldn't move. He didn't want to take his eyes off Kate. He'd just made a fool of himself in front of her and Mr. Amazing, and there was no taking it back. She knew that song was meant for her, that it almost perfectly described their situations.

Shit, he had to get out of here. He dropped Kate's gaze and hurried off the stage, heading straight for the exit. It took every ounce of his strength to not look back, but he told himself he'd been humiliated enough for one night. So much for drinking his problems away.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **Thanks for the reviews! Please keep them coming. I have another chapter planned, but only if you guys are interested.

**As Close As I'll Get: Chapter 2**

Kate watched Tony leave, too stunned to do anything. Suddenly everything clicked. That was why he'd made snide remarks about every guy she'd ever dated even though he didn't know anything about them. He must have heard her talking to Abby today and that's why he acted so strange. She felt a pang of guilt for hurting him. She had to make this better.

She flew into action, no longer rooted to her chair. She grabbed her purse and jumped up to run after Tony when a hand grabbed her arm, preventing her from leaving.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" David spun her around to face him. Concern etched his features as he stared into her eyes, searching for some sign as to what was wrong.

Kate inwardly groaned. She'd totally forgotten about David the minute she's seen Tony and she'd been about to leave him there without thinking. David was a nice guy and he'd been amazing to her, he didn't deserve that. She really liked him and she didn't want to hurt him, but he wasn't Tony. Still, she had been close to loving him, so he at least deserved some kind of an explanation.

She took a deep breath, knowing that this wouldn't be fun. She really wanted to run after Tony and she was losing precious time here, but she had to do this right. She opened her mouth to tell him the truth but closed it again when a new though occurred to her. What was she doing? She was about to ditch an amazing guy because of a drunken Karaoke song. What if it didn't mean anything, or Tony didn't want her when he was sober again. Maybe he only wanted her because of what he'd heard her say today, because she was off the market and guys always wanted what they couldn't have. Or maybe he just loved the chase, which definitely fit his track record. If she was just like every other woman to Tony, just another one of his conquests, then she was throwing away a really great guy to make a total fool of herself.

She didn't know what to do next. Should she drop the great guy for a chance the guy she'd always loved and risk heartache or play it safe and stay with the guy she already knew cared about her? Even though her heart was screaming at her to forget about David and run after Tony, she had to be smart about this or she could end up with no one.

"Nothing's wrong, I just thought I saw someone that I haven't seen in awhile." The lie rolled off her tongue and David visibly relaxed, totally buying it. She looked at her watch, unable to read it in the dim light. She pulled out her phone and glanced at the display. "It's actually getting kind of late and I have to get to work early tomorrow. I should probably be getting home." She looked apologetic that she had to cut their evening short and he rushed to reassure her.

"Of course, I understand completely. And you're right, it is getting late. Besides, a person can only take so much drunken Karaoke, although that last guy was actually pretty good." Kate froze for a moment and merely nodded, but he didn't seem to notice. "C'mon, let's get out of here." He placed his hand on the small of her back and gestured gentlemanly towards the door.

The drive home was a blur, but somehow David remained clueless. When they pulled up to her apartment he was the perfect gentleman, opening the door for her and holding her hand as they entered her building. He walked her to her door and kissed her goodnight. Kate tried to be into it, to feel even a little bit of the magic she'd felt last night, but there was nothing now. The knowledge that Tony might actually be interested in her enough to sing the perfect song in a bar full of people had ruined her for other men.

After the kiss ended and Kate was safely locked inside her apartment, she began to think about everything that had happened tonight. As far as she could tell, David was perfect. There was only one thing wrong with him. He wasn't Tony. She'd been an idiot at the bar. She shouldn't have worried about keeping David. Knowing that Tony had felt the same way she did, if only for a night, was like her dream coming true. It reminded her how strong her feelings for him were and that being with anyone else was just settling.

She didn't want to settle. She wanted Tony. And she didn't have to worry about the keeping the status quo or that she'd risk changing everything between them. Things had already been changed between them tonight, there was no denying that. If there was even the slightest chance that Tony might actually love her, then she had to go for it. She picked up her purse, grabbed her keys, and stormed at the door like a woman on a mission, which she was. Her mission was to find Tony and tell him she loved him, and maybe to convince him that he loved her too.

It started to pour down rain as Kate drove to Tony's apartment. She'd spent the entire drive rehearsing what she was going to say and hoping he felt the same way. She finally pulled up in front of his apartment. She took a deep breath to calm herself. It was now or never. She flung open her door and hurried to get inside. She huddled under the overhang and buzzed his apartment, praying he was there and getting wetter by the second.

She buzzed him a third time and he finally answered, mumbling, "What?" His voice was thick with alcohol and sleep, most likely from passing out.

"Tony." That was all she could say but the sound of her voice instantly sobered him up.

That was the last voice he'd expected to hear tonight, and he was completely awake now. But he didn't want to get his hopes up. She'd probably come to question him about tonight and tell him it would never happen, that she was happy with Mr. Amazing and had no interest in him. "What do you want?" He tried to keep his voice emotionless and he almost succeeded.

"Can I come up? It's raining, and I have something important to tell you." She sounded scared. She was starting to worry he wouldn't even see her. She waited impatiently, holding her breath and hoping he'd buzz her in.

Even though Tony thought she was only there to tell him that he didn't have a chance, he couldn't leave her out in the rain. He might as well get the awkward rejection over with. "Come on up," he said as he buzzed her in. She rushed inside before the last word had left his mouth, anxious to tell him how she felt.

She took a deep breath to prepare herself and knocked on his door. He opened the door without his shirt on and everything she'd rehearsed flew out of her head. Damn, he looked good, she thought as she looked him up and down. He was all sexy and tousled, sporting that just-out-of-bed look. She realized she was gaping and quickly closed her mouth. He stood back and gestured for her to come in.

"What was so important you had to drive over here to tell me?" Tony figured he should get straight down to business so she could be on her way and he could start nursing his broken heart.

She sat down on the couch and waited for him to sit down next to her, but he opted to stay standing. The way he was backlit by the light made his looming look sinfully delicious and entirely distracting, and Kate had to force her thoughts back to the task at hand. "It's about tonight, at the bar. I…"

"You don't have to say anything." Tony interrupted. "I understand completely. And I'm sorry about tonight. I know you were with Mr. Amazing and I'm sorry if I screwed up your night. I just didn't expect you to be there. We don't have to say anything else, it's totally forgotten. Let's just pretend it never happened. OK?" He tried to keep his voice light but he couldn't keep his disappointment from slipping in. He just hoped she hadn't noticed. He'd humiliated himself enough for one night.

Kate stood up to face him, staring directly into his eyes and challenging him. "What if I don't want to forget it? What if I'm glad I walked into that bar tonight and got to hear you sing?"

He was speechless, and he saw the same fear of rejection in her eyes that he'd felt earlier. He could see the truth of her words in her eyes and his heart skipped a beat. He smiled and leaned down until he was only a breath way from her lips. He whispered, his breath mingling with hers. "Then I guess my answer is this." The words were barely out of his mouth before his lips descended upon hers, meeting in the most earth-shattering kiss in the history of the world.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **Thanks for all the reviews! I'm working on 4 fics right now plus I'm getting pretty busy with college (stupid classes don't understand that writing comes first!), so please let me know if I should keep going with this. The more reviews I get, the faster I write the next chapter. If I don't get the reviews I might actually end up doing my homework first: P

**Chapter 3**

Tony pulled back slightly after what was easily the best minute of Kate's life and all she could say was a slightly breathless "Wow." Then she thought _I can't believe I said that out loud! _But then she saw the heat in Tony's eyes and all thoughts of embarrassment quickly fled. He was breathing hard, the kiss clearly affecting him as much as it had affected her.

He was totally blown away. He'd kissed a lot of women in his life but he hadn't felt even one thousandth of the emotion he'd felt when he finally kissed Kate. It was like the rest of the world had fallen away and he'd sudden found himself in heaven, though he had no clue what he'd done to deserve it. All he knew was that he'd found perfection, and he never wanted it to end. He felt like pinching himself to make sure he wouldn't feel the deep pang of loss and emptiness he always felt when he cruelly woke up to reach for Kate, only to grasp a cold and empty sheet.

Instead, he brushed his knuckles down her cheek and leaned in for another kiss that was just as sweet and mind-blowing as the first one. But her kisses were too addicting and he couldn't seem to stop. It was like only meaning to eat a few potato chips and, the next thing you know, the whole bag is gone, just like the Pringles commercial, "Once you pop, you can't stop." Tony had a weakness for potato chips but it was nothing compared to his weakness for Kate.

Finally, Kate gave in to her need to breath and pulled back a bit to catch her breath. She'd always thought that a kiss could never leave you breathless, that it was just something invented by songs and romance novels. After all, that's what noses were for. But that was before Tony. Now she understood the rush of emotions that made you forget how to breathe, and she'd never been so happy to be wrong.

She was staring at his lips, wanting nothing more than to kiss him again but she knew they had to stop before they went any further. Tony could almost feel what was coming next. "Tony," she whispered his name and it sent a pleasant tingle up his spine. "We have to talk about this."

"I know." He pulled her closer to him, wrapping her in his arms and letting her rest her head on his chest. He'd waited for her forever and he wanted to hold her tight before everything had to get heavy. He felt her relax into his embrace and he wished they could stay that way forever, but she was right. "Let's go sit down."

He kept an arm around her waist as he led her to the couch. They sat close but turned until they were facing each other. "Tony, I want…" He placed a finger to her lips and cut her off.

"Shh. I want you to hear this before you say anything. I've known you were different than every other woman from the moment I met you. You are the most amazing person I've ever known. Compared to you, everyone else fails miserably. I wanted you, I dreamed about you, but I never thought I could have you and it killed me inside. I knew I wasn't good enough for you but I didn't want anybody else. I wasn't an alter boy, but I made up most of those wild nights so that no one would realize the truth. That truth is that I'm in love with you."

Her smile got bigger the more he talked and, as hers grew, so did his. He pressed on, needing to set the record straight and prove that she was special, the only one for him. "I've never felt anything close to what I feel when I'm with you. That song really was perfect for us. I used to live for those moments we could accidentally touch, and I loved the close confines of the car. The smell of your hair and your perfume would drive me crazy at night and I'd wake up swearing I could still smell it. I would make jokes and harass you just so I could be close to you, which I know sounds totally juvenile but I would have done anything to be near you. I even loved when you hit me."

She had to laugh at that, thinking back to the times when she had elbowed him in the stomach and the shoving match they had when they tried to enter the same room. No one could make her laugh like Tony did. "Basically, I have it bad and it's never going to go away. I swear that I will always love you and that I will do anything and everything in this world to make you happy." He had to seal it with a kiss. It had been way too long, at least five minutes, since their last one and his lips were aching for her.

Hearing Tony's words had chased all the fears and doubts from Kate's mind. He had spoken from the heart, she could see the emotion in his eyes. It wouldn't have mattered if he made up the stories or not, as long as he swore that he was all hers. She'd always trusted him with her life, and now she knew she could trust him with her heart.

It wasn't humanly possible to be any happier than she was at this very moment, and she wanted him to feel the same way. She opened her mouth and decided to go wherever her heart took her. "I've tried to resist you, to put you out of my mind, but it hasn't worked. I've dreamed about you and compared every man I met to you even though I knew there was no comparison. I never thought there could be an 'us' so I forced myself to settle, but I can't do that anymore. Now I know that you feel the same way and I never want to let you go. It might not be easy with work but I don't really care. I trust you and I know that this is right. This is the way it was always supposed to be. I thought I'd quit believing in fairy tales a long time ago, but now I want one with you."

A tear escaped and slowly slid down her cheek until Tony gently wiped it away with his thump. She chuckled, unable to believe she was actually tearing up from sheer happiness. Then Tony tenderly kissed her cheek, tracing the trail the tear had left behind. When he reached the end of the trail he moved to her mouth, kissing her softly before slightly pulling back and resting his forehead against hers.

She breathed in deeply, her breath mingling with his. That was the single most incredible and touching thing a guy had ever done. She'd never felt so loved. He treated her reverently like she was some kind of goddess, like she was special, irreplaceable, and just a little breakable so she had to be handled with care. It made her throat catch with the words she'd been about to say.

"I love you, Caitlyn Todd." Tony whispered mere centimeters from her mouth, almost breathing the words into her. He closed the gap between them and stole a quick kiss, although it took every once of his control to keep from lingering.

"I love you, Anthony DiNozzo." Kate whispered when he pulled away, completing what she'd been about to say. She leaned in for another kiss, never intending for it to be quick. It was unhurried, passionate, and perfect, and several kisses later Tony finally pulled away to quickly whisper, "Stay with me. Let me hold you in my arms all night and wake up to see the most beautiful sight in the world."

She answered without hesitation, wanting nothing but to stay in his arms forever. "Sounds like perfection." His lips met hers as soon as he got the answer he'd been hoping for. They completely lost themselves in each other, in the kisses, until a ringing phone finally pervaded their world twenty minutes later.

As much as they wanted to ignore it, they knew that they couldn't. Tony forced himself to break the kiss and tried to locate the source of the ringing, without releasing Kate from his arms. It was coming from Kate's purse, which she'd dropped by the door. "I'll get it." Tony sounded disgusted, wanting to kill whoever had dared to interrupt them even it was Gibbs. He grabbed the phone and headed back to Kate, glancing at the display as he went. He suddenly froze in his tracks and felt his blood run cold.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Thanks for all the reviews. You guys rock! Please keep reviewing and let me know what you think! I'll be kinda laid up next week thanks to my stupid knee, so I'll have plenty of time to write...or to be lazy and watch tv ;-)

**Chapter 4**

"What's wrong?" Kate immediately noticed Tony's reaction. He answered by handing her the phone, the display pretty much saying it all. She looked at the display and sighed in dismay. "Damn it!" She broke the silence by swearing softly as she closed her eyes and banged her head against the back of the couch in frustration. There went their night full of perfect moments. Who knew a cell phone could be so deadly?

She opened her eyes, still resting her head on the back of the couch, and looked up at Tony. He hadn't moved except to hand her the phone, and he was continuing to stare at it with a venomous mixture of contempt, sadness, and betrayal. Kate's eyes dropped, unable to bear the hurt in his eyes. She forced her eyes back to the man she loved. She'd caused both their pain and now she had to make it right, if only he would look at her.

She tried to lock eyes with him, but he kept his attention focused on her cell phone and refused to meet her gaze. She gave up trying to capture that instantaneous connection that always sparked when the locked eyes and hoped that her heartfelt words would be enough. "I'm so sorry Tony. I didn't mean…" Tony snapped his eyes off of the cell phone and turned his venomous glare towards Kate who froze mid sentence, completely unnerved by the intensity of his gaze. She could see the anger bubbling below the surface, but it was the flecks of betrayal and distrust she saw in his eyes that really did her in.

"Why didn't you break up with him tonight?" His voice was carefully controlled. He spoke softly, trying to disguise the emotion in his voice. "Why did you come here to confess your love if you were still dating him?" His voice quavered a bit at the end. Suddenly, he couldn't keep his emotions at bay, raising his voice slightly and allowing some of his anger and disgust to slip through. "What were you going to do, date us both? Were you going to keep me on the side in case he dumped you? Maybe you just wanted me as you're behind the scenes guy, not good enough for you to be seen in public with but good enough to spend the night."

Tears shone in his eyes, but Kate's rolled freely down her cheeks. He felt a pang of guilt and self-hatred for being the cause of her tears, even though she really had hurt him. His dream had finally showed up on his doorstep, but it turned out to be nothing but a lie masquerading as his dream. She hadn't even loved him enough to dump Mr. Amazing. A few of the tears he was trying so hard to hold back spilled over as he whispered, "Why, Kate?"

"It wasn't like that, Tony, I swear." Kate choked out, her voice tight with tears. "I didn't know what to do. I was terrified you wouldn't feel the same way, that the song had been a mistake or something. I went home to figure out what I should do. When I finally admitted that there was no other option, you were my dream and you were worth every risk if there was the slightest chance for us, I ran out the door. I didn't give David a thought. All I could think about was you. I was so nervous that you wouldn't feel the same way or I wouldn't say it right that I spent the whole drive trying to find the right words to let you know we belonged together. I didn't do it intentionally"

A steady stream of tears was sliding down her cheeks when she finished. She gazed directly into his eyes, pleading with him to see the open honesty behind her words. It seemed like he was barely breathing, still rooted to the same spot. She tried again. "Please, you have to trust me. It's impossible for me to feel anything for anyone else because I am completely, totally, and hopelessly in love with you."

She reached out to touch his hand, breathing a sigh of relief when he made no attempt to pull away. She saw the anger dissolve from his eyes, replaced by a hint of exhaustion. He sunk down next to her on the couch, slipping his arm around her and hugging her to his chest. It was like a dam burst and she started bawling from relief. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She repeated it like a mantra, although it was muffled by her tears and his chest.

"Shh." He kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry too. I should have trusted you. I never should have said that crap. I didn't mean it, I was just afraid I might lose you. I was an idiot. I'm so sorry." He rested his chin on her head and held her close. He felt like a total ass now. He'd jumped to conclusions, gotten mad and mouthed off, and he'd made her cry. He really didn't deserve her.

"You're right, though. I should have broken up with him. I didn't mean not to break up with him, I just…" Tony placed his finger to her lips again.

"I know. It's okay. I'm just glad you decided to come, and I'm ecstatic that you decided to love me." He dropped his finger from her lips and used it to lift her chin. Their eyes briefly met, shining with love before fluttering closed as he leaned in for a soft, sweet kiss. They knew they couldn't go any further until Kate officially broke up with David. Even though they loved each other, it just wouldn't be right. It didn't matter though, because Tony was just happy to hold her in his arms.

"Let's go to bed." Tony broke the silence. It had been a long night full of ups and downs, and it had been emotionally exhausting. Tony took her hand as they stood up, leading her to his bedroom. She sat down on the bed while he pulled out a pair of sweats and an NCIS t-shirt for her to sleep in.

He showed her to the adjoining bathroom. After splashing some water on her face and brushing her teeth, she looked at the pile of clothes Tony had given her. She couldn't help but smile. There was something special about wearing your guy's clothes and being surrounded by his smell. It was comforting and it made her feel safe, but it was also a sign of possession. Usually she wasn't a huge fan of the possession aspect but belonging to Tony sounded pretty damn good right now, as long as he belonged to her too, of course.

She got dressed and inhaled his scent, feeling safer and more relaxed than she ever had before. She went back out to find Tony sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for her. He immediately smiled at the sight in front of him. The clothes were huge on her, of course, but she'd never looked better. He wanted to…_don't go there!_ He immediately slammed the door on that line of thought.

He met her halfway between the bathroom and the bed, unable to resist the urge to kiss her even if he wanted to. After a lingering kiss, he led her to the bed. They crawled under the covers and, after one last kiss, Kate rested her head on Tony's chest.

"Goodnight, beautiful." Tony whispered next to her ear, his sexy bed voice sending shivers down her spine. He kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

"I love you too. Sweet dreams, Tony." She replied with a huge smile lighting up her face.

"My dream is sweet, and she's right here in my arms." Tony murmured seductively. She giggled and his smile brightened. They were both happier than they'd ever been, despite the recent drama. Nothing mattered because they were finally exactly where they belonged, in each other's arms. As they drifted to sleep they both thanked their lucky stars that they'd managed to find the other half of their hearts.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: **As always, thanks for the reviews. Life is pretty crazy right now, but I'll definitely update a lot faster if you review. It's what motivates me to get off my lazy butt and write : D

**Chapter 5**

Kate yawned as the sun's rays fell across her face, but didn't open her eyes. She was having the most wonderful dream, and she wasn't ready for it to end just yet. She tried to snuggle back into her pillow to escape the bright light, but something wasn't quite right. Instead of a soft, squishy pillow, her cheek was resting on something smooth, warm, and solid that no one would ever mistake for squishy. She opened her eyes and was greeted by the sight of a gloriously naked chest.

A brilliant smile spread across her face as her eyes roamed upwards, leisurely raking over his sinfully naked torso before coming to rest on Tony's sweet, sleeping face. She couldn't quite believe he was real, so she lightly placed a hand on his chest, feeling the steady thump-thump of the heart she'd always wished could capture. She noticed Tony's lips curl up in a slight smile as he felt her touch. She was amazed how he could react to her even in sleep.

Tony felt her touch and sensed her scrutiny as he slowly blinked against the bright rays that had engulfed the room. His eyes immediately locked with hers, causing them both to smile. "Hey." He softly purred, his voice still thick with sleep. It was the sexiest thing she'd ever heard.

"Hey yourself." Kate responded quietly, even though there was no reason for them to be whispering. Somehow it felt like speaking normally would ruin whatever magical spell had been placed over this time and this place that had allowed them to finally find this perfect moment they'd both dreamed of.

He reached up to brush a strand of her from her face, the barest touch of his fingertips sending pleasant shivers down her spine. He stroked her cheek with his thumb before trailing his fingers down her arm to where her hand was still resting on his chest. He raised her hand to his lips, creating a trail of lingering kisses from her wrist to her fingertips.

He looked up, meeting Kate's eyes with that slightly mischievous smile that was completely unique, totally Tony. She had never felt more special or more loved in her entire life. She felt that way every time she was with Tony, like she really was the luckiest, most treasured and loved woman in the world. She couldn't resist running her free hand through his sleep-rumpled hair.

Tony took this as an open invitation and quickly pulled her down on top of him, earning a squeal of surprise from Kate who barely knew what hit her before she found herself draped over his body. She couldn't contain her laughter as she tried to figure out exactly how she'd ended up in this very enjoyable position. He soon joined in, loving the sound of her laughter. He'd give anything to wake up like this every day for eternity. He hadn't even gotten out of bed yet and it was already the best day of his life, replacing yesterday when Kate had shown up at his door. He had a feeling that every new day with Kate would immediately become the best day of his life, and the only word he could think of to describe it was _Heaven._

They laid there in silence for a few minutes, simply enjoying the amazing feeling of their bodies pressed together. Then Kate realized the time on the clock. "Oh no!" She groaned and turned her face away from the clock, not wanting to believe what it said.

"What?" Tony glanced at where she'd been looking and noticed the clock. "Shit." He closed his eyes. If he couldn't see it, then it wasn't true. Kate tried to move off him so they could get ready for work, but Tony's arms immediately tightened around her. "Where do you think your going?" He growled seductively, flashing her his patented you-know-you-want-me smile.

"Tony," she warned him. "You know we're going to be late for work. We have to go. Now! I'd like to at least change my clothes and get a quick shower before we have to face Gibbs." The smile slid off Tony's face at the mention of Gibbs' name. Talk about a mood killer.

"Damn, I totally forgot about Gibbs. What are we going to do? We never got to talk about how we were going to handle work." Tony was shaking his head, totally at a loss for what they should do. He really had meant to discuss this last night, but he'd totally forgotten after the phone call and the fight.

"I know, we definitely should have talked about this last night. Why don't we keep this to ourselves today and try to act normal. We can figure out what to do about Gibbs after work." She bit her lip as she wondered if they should even try to pull one over on Gibbs. Even if only for a single day, he had an uncanny ability to always figure out what you were hiding. He was always three steps ahead, so maybe they'd be better off telling him right away and dealing with the consequences. Maybe their honesty would grant them some leniency.

"I think you're right. We'll have to tell him eventually, but we need to be prepared before we face him. We'll have to prove that we can still function as agents and as part of the team, so we'll need to have a really good argument prepared to convince him." Tony just hoped they could fool Gibbs and the rest of the team. He didn't want to be in the same state if Gibbs found out that they'd tried to hide this from him. It would definitely be a lot worse than a slap on the head.

Kate nodded, assuring him that she agreed with the plan. He finally relaxed his arms so she could get up. With his arms behind his head, Tony enjoyed watching her strut around his house in his clothes as she picked up her clothes from last night and headed for the bathroom. He was disappointed five minutes later when she came back into the bedroom dressed in her own clothes again.

He reluctantly rose from the bed, giving Kate a chance to admire his boxer clad body again. He noticed her watching and flashed her a smile as he pulled his clothes out of the closet. He winked as he walked past her, making her smile. It seemed like Tony was always making her smile, and she loved it. He emerged from the bathroom fully dressed, and Kate silently cursed the need for jobs and clothes. She liked how Tony looked in the morning, with heavy, half-opened eyes, his hair rumpled from sleep, and looking sexy and delicious clad only in boxers. The only thing better would be Tony boxer-less, but Kate definitely did not have time to go into that fantasy right now.

She shook her head to clear Tony's body from her mind, even though she really, really hated to. "I better go so I can stop by my place to change. Besides, it's bad enough we'll both be late, better not give Gibbs' more reason to be suspicious by showing up right behind each other."

"I guess you're right, if we absolutely have to." Tony pretended to pout. Kate giggled and swatted his arm, but he grabbed her hand before she could get away. He spun her into his arms, kissing her hungrily. He finally tore himself away after a few minutes, breathing heavily. "If you're gonna go, you better go now. 'Cause in another thirty seconds we're both calling in sick."

Kate's eyes were dark with desire, matching the passion in his. She knew what he said was true, but her heart and her body didn't seem to care. She was beyond the point of rational thought, probably because their breathtaking kiss had robbed her brain of too much oxygen. All she knew was that she wanted him, and she didn't want to wait any longer. "Make the call," was all she said, and Tony could swear his heart stopped.

They were too far gone to care about the consequences. They'd waited way too long for this, and Tony felt like he was about to combust. He was shaking a little as he walked towards the phone, keeping his eyes locked on Kate the whole time. He picked up his cell and waited for her to let him know she was serious. She nodded eagerly and he flipped open the phone, just as it started ringing in his hand.

Tony looked from the phone to Kate, who was still staring at the phone in his hand. In the past 24 hours, he'd developed a real hatred of phones. He wasn't sure he wanted to look at the display, given how things had went last time. On the fourth ring, he finally glanced at the display, and it was his worst nightmare all over again. He shared a look with Kate and she immediately knew who it was. Their eyes remained locked as he hesitantly answered the phone. "DiNozzo."

"Where the hell are you? You're half an hour late, DiNozzo, or did you just decide work wasn't important today." Gibbs' voice exploded from the earpiece, so loud that Kate could make out every word of his tirade. "I swear I'm going to kill you if you're passed out somewhere or in some strange woman's bed doing God knows what. And, Tony, I'm not joking."

Tony was holding the phone away from his ear to avoid permanent hearing loss. He jumped in when Gibbs' finally paused for a breath. "Sorry, boss. I'm on my way."

"You better have a damn good excuse. We just got a case and we're two agents short. I don't suppose you have any idea where Kate is, do you?" Tony's heart dropped when he heard the accusation Gibbs' had laced into the question. He probably already knew and they were completely screwed, but Tony still had to try.

"She didn't sound too good when I talked to her last night. Maybe she's sick. Have you tried her cell?" Tony tried to sound nonchalant and perplexed, and he was pretty sure he pulled it off.

"No, Tony, I never thought to try her cell." Sarcasm dripped from Gibbs' voice and Tony winced. He really had to watch himself and make sure he didn't piss Gibbs off anymore than he already was. Hiding this from Gibbs was starting to look completely impossible.

"Do you want me to stop by her place on my way?" Tony offered, trying to sound like it was no big deal even though it would make their lives a lot easier. If Gibbs' said yes, they'd have more time to work on their stories. Plus, they'd get to spend a little more time together, each second of which was a major bonus in Tony's book.

"Fine, just don't take too long. We'll go process the scene and meet you two back at the office. As soon as you get there, I want all the information you can find about Petty Officer Max Parker."

"Sure thing, boss." Tony heard a click, Gibbs' favorite substitute for 'goodbye.' He turned to Kate. "We come up with some good stories, then head to the office and pull information on Petty Officer Max Parker. We're going to have a lot of questions to answer as soon as Gibbs gets back. It sounded like he might already be suspicious, so we have to be really careful if we're going to wait to tell him."

"Okay." Kate let out the breath she'd been holding. She wasn't sure they could pull this off, but they didn't have a choice. Gibbs was already ticked off at them, so now was definitely not the time to tell him. They wouldn't have a shot at convincing him that they're relationship wouldn't interfere with their jobs. It was better to take a chance and wait. She just prayed it paid off.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** Sorry this update has taken forever, I got a little sidetracked with another fanfic. A big thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review. If it wasn't for you guys and the reviews that kept popping up in my inbox, I wouldn't have re-read this fic and fallen totally in love with it again : )

**Chapter 6**

Kate stepped out of her shower and into her robe. She quickly wrapped her hair up in a towel and peeked out her bathroom door. She'd been in the shower less than five minutes and Tony was still right where she'd left him, flipping through news channels to see if the case they were supposed to be working on had made the news.

Tony heard the soft click of the bathroom door opening and looked up just in time to see Kate emerge in a fluffy pink robe. He swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry, and automatically stood up. He started to towards her, unable to tear his eyes away and amazed that he didn't trip over his tongue, which had to be hanging to the floor.

She smiled at his reaction before ducking into her bedroom, not bothering to close the door. She loved seeing him look at her like that, seeing the heat flash in his eyes as he zeroed in on her like nothing else existed. She heard his footsteps stop right before her door and she couldn't fight the shiver of excitement that raced up her spine.

Tony leaned against the wall outside her open doorway and let his head fall back with a thud. What was he doing? He should have never left the couch, but he hadn't been prepared for the sight of Kate fresh from the shower and snuggled in a robe. A _pink_ robe, no less. He pushed the thought, and the sight that accompanied it, from his mind and reminded himself that they could be in some serious trouble here. They needed to get to work and manage to fool Gibbs, which meant he had to get himself under control.

He turned his mind back to Operation: Fool the Fox. "Gibbs is already going to be pissed that we're late and there's nothing we can say to change that, so I think we should just keep it simple and deal with an angry Gibbs all day. We apologize and tell him whatever story we come up with but we don't try to explain our way out of it, 'cause we know it won't work and it could only end up getting us in trouble."

"Sounds good to me." Kate replied as she finished dressing, a little disappointed that Tony had decided to stay outside even though she knew he hadn't really had a choice. But now that she was fully clothed… "You can come in now."

Tony closed his eyes and forced himself to take a deep breath. Kate Todd had just invited him into her bedroom. It was a moment he'd been dreaming about, but he wasn't sure he could survive this. Not when they had to leave so soon. Not when he couldn't touch her. He should turn around and go back to the couch, but he couldn't make his feet move an inch in that direction. He didn't have it in him to say no.

* * *

He stepped through the doorway and found her standing with her back to him in front of a floor-length mirror, pulling her hair back in a ponytail. He glanced around the room, his eyes immediately coming to rest on the bed. He remembered her saying once that she slept with a gun under her pillow and he wondered if it was true.

She stole his attention again as she finished her ponytail and moved on to applying makeup. There was something intimate about watching her going through her normal morning ritual, and he liked knowing she was comfortable enough with him to let him see her like this. He watched her apply lip gloss and wanted nothing more than to kiss it off of her. Damn, he needed to get himself under control.

He propped a shoulder against the wall and, feigning a casualness he didn't feel, began coming up with the perfect story to throw Gibbs off the scent. Then Kate winked at him in the mirror and he lost his train of thought. He needed to get back in control, and there were only two ways he could think of to do that. The first, giving in and kissing her when he wasn't sure he'd be able to stop, was not an option unless he wanted Gibbs breaking down the door to find out why they weren't at work. That only left him one option and he smiled in anticipation.

"So Kate, where's this infamous gun you sleep with? 'Cause I can't see it matching your pink pillows, or your pink bedspread, or your pink robe…" He trailed off when she turned around to glare at him, which only made him grin more. "Unless…it's a pink gun!"

"Keep talking and you'll find out." Kate growled, still glaring at him.

He couldn't help but laugh, loving how nothing had really changed between them and they could still carry on their childish banter. He was laughing so hard that he didn't realize what Kate was doing until a pink pillow smacked him in the face. He caught it as it bounced off his head and stared at Kate, who was staring back at him.

They stayed locked in a standoff for all of two seconds before Tony dropped the pillow and lunged towards Kate, who was on the other side of the bed. She shrieked and quickly moved to her left, hoping she could make it around the bed and to the door before he caught her. But he'd anticipated her reaction and quickly changed direction, grabbing her just as she rounded the foot of the bed.

Tony wrapped her in his arms, lifting her up as she giggled, "Tony!" He tumbled them both back onto the bed so she landed on top of him, then flipped them so she was pinned beneath him. She wiggled underneath him, laughing while trying to get away. She got a hand free and pushed against his chest but it was useless. Tony was too strong, too solid. He covered her hand with his own and she stilled, finally realizing the position they were in.

Tony looked down at her, his wolfish grin still in place. "You, my dear Katie, are going to pay for your violent tendencies." That was all the warning she got before his lips descended on hers as he finally gave in to the desire he'd been fighting since he saw her in that robe.

What started out as slow and soft was quickly becoming more. Tony finally, breathlessly, forced himself to pull away before things got out of hand and even the threat of Gibbs busting through the door wouldn't be enough to make him stop.

Kate was still reeling from the kiss when Tony reluctantly rose, pushing himself up from the bed. He reached down and helped her up. "Who knew that our banter plus a bedroom would be such a great combination?" Tony smiled and quirked an eyebrow, although he was still breathing hard.

"Come on," he pulled her towards the door. "It'd probably be better if we talk out here. You know, remove the temptation." Kate nodded in agreement, allowing him to lead her down the hall to the living room.

* * *

"Okay," Tony started once they were sitting on the couch. "We need to figure out what to tell Gibbs, and it needs to be convincing. I was thinking about it before you so beautifully distracted me and I'm just going to keep it simple. I'll tell him the power must have gone off sometime last night and my alarm didn't go off. He'll be pissed, but I'll deal."

Kate nodded. "It should work, since Gibbs probably doesn't know that most alarms have battery backups now or that cell phones have alarms. He probably still uses some ancient wind-up alarm." They both laughed at the expense of their technologically challenged boss.

"Since you told Gibbs I might be sick, I'll just tell him I ate some bad Chinese last night and try not to look too ecstatic today. Although that's probably going to be impossible." They both smiled. This was going to be the hardest acting job to pull off, but they both knew failure was not an option.

"Maybe I should give you a ride to work, since you aren't feeling well." Tony tried to keep a straight, sincere face, fighting the grin that was tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Kate laughed at his attempt. She knew she should probably drive herself to look a little less guilty, but she really wanted to spend the few extra minutes alone with him before work and the rest of the team intruded. "That sounds like a very sweet gesture, Tony. But you better be careful. Gibbs might wonder why you suddenly started acting like a nice guy."

She stuck her tongue out at him and started for the door, hearing her laughing behind him. She picked up her bag next to the door and turned to reach for the doorknob only to find a very solid body blocking her way.

"I'm hurt, Kate." His eyes sparkled mischievously as he leaned closer so he could whisper suggestively in her ear. "You have no idea how good I can be." He pressed a quick kiss to her lips as he pulled away and opened the door, gesturing for her to go first.

She did so without thinking and felt his hand settle in the small of her back as he closed the door behind them and guided her out to the car. His words, which sounded more like a promise to her, kept bouncing around in her brain. She couldn't wait until after work. If she even managed to survive until then.

* * *

a/n:_ Do they have a chance at pulling this off or will Gibbs, or maybe Abby, catch on to them? Can they both survive the day without spontaneously combusting from the heat between them? What exactly are their plans for after work?_ ; ) 


End file.
